Head seams for steel barrels and drums and method thereof



A. O. MILLER Jqne 8, 1937.

HEAD SEAMS FOR STEEL BARRELS AND DRUMS AND- METHOD THEREOF Z J I 2%" E Patented June 8, 1937 UNITED STATES HEAD SEAMS FOR STEEL BARRELS AND DRUMS AND METHOD THEREOF Arthur 0. Miller, Youngstown, Ohio, assignor to The Petroleum Iron Works Company of Ohio, Sharon, Pa., a corporation of Ohio Application August 12, 1935, Serial No. 35,853

7 Claims. (Cl. 113-121) The invention is a method, and product of that method, of securing the head to the shell of a steel barrel or drum in such way as to minimize leakage and in such way as to simplify calking, as by welding, in the event of leakage.

It is old practice to head metal barrels or drums by double or other multiple seaming. However, under the conventional practice when the seam is deformed by bumps, as invariably is the case, there is leakage and in efforts to cure this condition it has been more or less usual to resort to welding. The welding is more or less involved because the seam is diflicultly accessible and because it is necessary to weld it throughout in that the leakage fluid has a tendency to traverse the seam its entire circumference.

In the case of inflammable liquids, greater strength is required in the head construction and it is conventional practice to employ a covering chime. Manifestly, should leakage occur and welding become necessary, the chimed seam is even more diflicult to repair than the ordinary double seam without the chime, and it frequent y is necessary to destroy the chime in order to reach the point of repair.

The present invention was devised primarily for the purpose of overcoming the aforesaid defects and disadvantages; to provide a head construction substantially devoid of leakage tendency; to reinforce the head, if desired, with a chime in such relation in the assembly that it will offer no serious impediment or obstacle to repairs should such become necessary; and to provide for metallically and homogeneously joining the shell and head in such way as to provide sound insurance against leakage and in such way as to eliminate conditions making for leakage and in such way as to provide for rapid and uniform heading of steel barrels or drums.

The nature, characteristic features and scope of the invention more readily will be understood from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof, wherein:-

Figure 1 is a sectional view illustrative of the initial step of the method which consists in assembling flanged shell and head members with substantially flush edges.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the next operation, that is to say, the sealing of the juxtaposed edges of the flanges with weld deposit metal.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the arrangement after the curling operation with the welded area lying closely adjacent the shell, the curling or interfolding being facilitated by the use, if desired, of a ring. or wire lodged in the crotch of the elbow formed by the shell and its flange.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the improved head connection including the addition of a protecting rim or chime.

In the practice of the invention, the shell 5 of a steel barrel or drum eventuates in a substantially flat outside flange 6 and the cylindrical wa l I of a separate head 8 eventuates in a flange 9 simi ar to flange 6 except that its width exceeds that of the latter. The purpose and effect of this is that when the head is inserted in the shell and the flanges are juxtaposed, their edges are substantially flush. This is doubly important. It facilitates the application, whether manually or by machine, of weld deposit metal ill in the form of a circumferential sealing belt. It insures sound weld and the maintenance thereof by enabhng the welded area to be curled back so that it is in a protective zone closely adjacent the shell, as will be apparent from inspection of Figs. 3 and 4.

In the case, of machine welding, I prefer to weld seal the flanges before the curling operation, as indicated in Fig. 2. This is especially advantageous when plies of metal are employed as, for example, in a case where the wall I of the head well might represent a lining as of chrome or other appropriate lining metal for a drum. In the case of manual welding, I prefer to deposit the weld'metal after folding or curling, as indicated in Fig. 3. This matter, however, is optional, the essential thing being the construction and arrangement whereby the flanges, when arranged for curling, are of approximately equal outside diameter to insure sound welding and so that the weld will be well within the limits of protection afforded by the overlying metal or bead and preferably will be closely adjacent the shell.

The folding or curling may be facilitated by the use of a rod or wire ll lodged in ring-form in the crotch of the shell flange, but such use is optional. However, when availed of, it has the merit that it lends itself to the general scheme of shrouding the weld within the protecting confines of the overlying metal. D

In short, the presence of the wire i i insures the curling of the flanges to ogee section so as to put the weld deposit metal l0 below the wire and substantially within a plane bounding the outermost limits of the flange 9. The latter, or a covering chime when present, thus takes the impact of blows and shocks in service and thereby lends the welded area from abrasive action and other conditions calculated to open or otherwise damage the seam.

Fig. 4 aptly illustrates how the method-readily 5 lends itself to the application of a chime, as II, when such expedient is specifled in the'contract to insure adequate strength in the head seam, to minimize the manifestation of bumps and to lend desirable flnish. It will be apparent from inspecl0 tion of Fig. 4 that the addition of the chime is in no respect a handicap to the successful practice of the invention. On the contrary, it has the merit that it tends further to shroud or fend thewelded area and, unlike the conventional practice which requires destruction or removal of thechime in order to efiect repairs, it need not bedestroyed or removed forasmuch as it leaves the weld completely accessible at all times for repairs and when required. v When the chime is included in the assembly, the

presence of the flller rod or wire is desirable be-. cause it helps to form an under or anchoring shoulder is for clenching engagement by the lower edge wall M of the chime. The edge wall gr, it, it will be observed, immediately flanks the edges of the flanges. This is important because during the welding operation it may serve as a guide in the deposit of the weld metal and ultimately it serves as award to protect the welded seam from rough handling or abuse calculated to start a leak. r p

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new, is: L V

l. The combination of shell and head membars having flanges in edge welded seam relation, the flanges being curled downwardly on a radius the edge weldfor protecting purposes being below the bead formed in the curling or seaming operation and closely adjacent the shell, but exposed for repairs, a chime pressed upon the bead in clenching relation therewith, the skirt of the chime stopping short of the flange ends and constituting an abutment in substantial tangential relation with the flange ends whereby they are readily accessible forrepair welding to hermetically close the seam:

2. The combination of shell and head members having complemental flanges conjointly 0utwardly and downwardly curled to form a double wall '0 end bead, weld deposit metal applied to the edge walls of the flanges to close the seam, the bead being of ogee section whereby the welded seam lies within a plane bounding the outer limits of the bead and is longitudinally and laterally exposed for repair welding.

3. The method of heading steel barrels or drum which consists in outwardly bending the juxtaposed flanges of shell and head members over a wire to provide a multiple wall end bead of general ogee form. the terminal of the bead being directed 6 outwardly to facilitate seam closing and to provide an abutment for a chime. applying a chime to said head in flush relation with the abutment. and closing the seam with weld deposit metal.

4. The method of heading steel barrels or drums 1o which consists in outwardly and downwardly bending the juxtaposed flanges of shell and head members over a wire to form a multiple wall end bead of ogee section whereby the seam is disposed below and within the protecting limits of 15 the bead and yet directed away from the shell to facilitate the closing of the seam, and closing 7 the seam with weld deposit metal.

5. A method of heading steel barrels or drums which consists in outwardly and downwardly 20 bending the juxtaposed flanges of shell and head members to form a multiple wall end bead oi ogee section whereby the seam is disposed below and within the protecting limits of the bead and yet directed away from the shell so as to be readily ac- 25 cessible for the application of a seam-closing operation, reinforcing the end head by the application of a covering chimewhich stops short of the seam, and metallically closing the seam.

6. The method of heading steel barrels or 30 drumawhich comprises providing shell and head members with substantially flat outlying flanges, assembling said members so that the flanges are juxtaposed in underlying and overlyingrelatlon and so that their edge walls are substantially 5 flush, curling the flanges to form a doublewail end beadand to put their edge walls in a position below andsubstantially inside a line bounding the outside diameter of the beadand closely. adjacent the shell,.relni'orcing the curled flangu with an externally applied member having a wall in flanking relation with the edge wallsof the flanges and effective as a guide in the repair welding of said edge walls and sealing the edge seam by welding. I 4

7. The combination of. shell and head members having juxtaposed flanges in edge welded sum relation, said flanges, being outwardly, downwardly and inwardly and again outwardly curld to form a double wall end bead, the seam being so positioned to be overhung and protected by the bead and yet directed away from the shell so that it is readily accessible for repair welding. 

